Space Dementia
by Mad Hatter - J
Summary: After Resistance Commander Poe Dameron stumbles across a reclusive woman living on the planet of Takodana, he has no idea the chain of events his seemingly-harmless interactions will set in motion. Could a woman on the run from her past be the Resistance's best hope at bringing down the First Order, and putting an end to the war for good?
1. Chapter 1: The Pilot

**THE PILOT**

A commotion upstairs roused her from her sleep and in a moment of panic she groped around for her weapon, forgetting that she no longer kept it on her. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she threw back the covers of her cot, greeted by the usual rush of cool air. Swinging her legs over the side, she gave herself a moment to adjust to her new waking state before pausing to listen out for any further disturbances. Living beneath a bar that served as one of the most notorious watering holes for pirates, smugglers and fugitives, she was not unfamiliar with the cacophony that often carried down the staircase to the small room she occupied below; but she could not say that it was something she would ever get used to. Keeping still, she cocked her head and listened to the distinctive voice of Maz Kanata welcoming her new patrons, the sound muffled by the barrier of the stone between them, as well as the usual hum of conversation above. A clattering and scraping of chairs across the floor soon followed as the new guests took their seats. From the amount of noise she guessed it to be quite a large group.

Curious now, she slipped into a black tunic and dark-grey leggings, cinching the outfit at the waist with a leather belt. After pulling on a pair of old, worn boots, she made her way up the staircase to the main floor, pausing in the doorway to survey the room before making her entrance. She spotted the source of the raucous almost immediately. Seated amongst the usual crowd of rough-looking travelers, their tell-tale insignia stood out in the worst kind of way, attracting suspicious looks from everyone around them. But the young group of pilots didn't seem to take any notice, enjoying their drinks and chattering loudly amongst themselves, breaking into occasional bursts of laughter. She watched them for a moment before heading for the bar.

The large Whiphid that had been occupying her usual seat tore his eyes away from the group of newcomers in time to see her approaching. He quickly got to his feet with a brief, almost respectful nod before hurrying off. She eyed the hairy, tusked creature for a moment before sitting down, trying to ignore how warm the seat still felt beneath her. Grimacing, she waited for the establishment's owner to turn around.

"You're finally awake," Maz commented, catching the tired, disgruntled look of her long-time lodger. Despite being a mere four feet tall, the ancient pirate queen had an impressive presence that kept even the worst-behaved criminals in line, commanding the kind of respect that galactic royalty could only dream of. No one messed with Maz, and if all else failed she had very powerful friends to back her up.

"Yeah, well, your lovely new customers didn't give me much choice in the matter," the other woman replied, stifling a yawn.

"And about time, too. You've been sleeping almost the entire day."

"These days, I take sleep where I can get it."

"You were out in the woods again last night," Maz stated.

"Yes. Meditating."

"I know exactly what you do out there, Maia," Maz said, turning back to prepare the young woman her usual cup of caffeine, "No need to lie."

Maia eyed her before glancing back over at the group of newcomers.

"Resistance fighters," Maz commented, noticing her gaze as she handed her the drink.

"What are they doing here?"

Considering the reputation of the thousand year-old castle, it seemed an odd choice of respite for the servicemen and women, and from the looks being thrown in their direction, everyone else appeared to agree. Though the New Republic seemed determined to catch and prosecute every known criminal in the galaxy, the Resistance, a rogue offshoot of the Republic military, were known to be a little more lax when it came to such matters. The way they saw it, there were far more pressing issues to address in the galaxy then the interplanetary tradings of a few crooked scoundrels.

"Why don't you go ask them yourself?" Maz replied, busying herself with a new order of drinks. She turned away once more to direct one of her workers to the correct table.

Maia cast her a disapproving look as she felt someone step up beside her.

"Could I get another round of drinks for me and my buddies, please?" the man asked, with good-cheer in his voice. He turned his gaze to the women next to him, giving her a subtle look up and down as she continued to ignore him. Realizing her spoon was still stirring freely in her cup, Maia's hand shot up to stop it, tapping it out and laying it down on the counter, hoping he hadn't noticed. "And maybe one for your friend here, too," the man added, with a curious frown.

Maia sipped her drink, taking her time before she bothered to show him the slightest amount of interest. When she finally looked over, she was immediately caught off guard by his friendly face and genuine smile.

"Or maybe you'd like to come join us? You're more than welcome," he went on.

She stared at him for a moment, hoping to disguise her surprise at the invite as contemplation. She allowed herself a moment to take in his warm, brown eyes and dark waves, then turned back to her beverage. "I'm fine here."

"Don't mind Maia," Maz interrupted, laying the first tray of fresh drinks on the counter in front of them, "She has trouble recognizing when a handsome young man is flirting with her."

Maia threw her a dark look as the man smirked, then continued to focus her attention on her drink.

"Why? Are there no other men on this planet?" the pilot commented.

Maz chuckled and threw Maia a suggestive look, but the girl appeared thoroughly unimpressed by the woman's attempts at matchmaking.

"I think she's just mad because your friends interrupted her beauty sleep."

"My apologies," he said, and she could feel his attention on her once more, "We do get a little rowdy when we're celebrating. Though I must say, she doesn't look like she needs any."

Maz stared, waiting for some kind of response from the girl, at the very least some sort of acknowledgment of the compliment. She thought she caught a brief flicker of appreciation, but just as quickly it was gone, replaced by her usual surly demeanor. The pilot's attention was called briefly back to his table as one of his friend's made a request for a different kind of drink. Taking the opportunity while he was distracted, Maz threw another suggestive look at Maia, who gave a vehement shake of her head, with a silent but heated argument ensuing. The angry mouthing stopped as soon as the young man turned back around.

"So, what are you guys celebrating?" Maia finally gave in, curiosity getting the better of her.

Content that she had done her part, that this might actually go somewhere good for the girl, Maz turned back to pour the rest of the drinks.

"Well, I guess that would depend on which side you're on," the pilot replied, a touch of humor to his voice.

Maz set the second tray down next to the first, giving the young man a clear look. He caught the gesture with a slight frown, then glanced back.

"Neither," Maia responded evenly, what little interest she'd had in getting to know him evaporating in an instant

"We don't like to bring politics in here," Maz interrupted, "We trust everyone to keep their business to themselves and to not start any trouble."

"Trouble?" he began, but picking up on the hint he stopped himself.

"Well, considering who he works for and where he is, that last part seems a little unavoidable," Maia said to Maz.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

She nodded to the insignia on his sleeve. "Everyone here probably thinks you're out to arrest them."

"And why would I do that?"

He knew very well what kind of place this was and the kind of crowd it attracted, but as far as he was concerned he and his crew were off the clock. They were simply there to enjoy themselves. Even if his better instincts were urging him to reconsider. Who knew what kind of crooked deals were being made right under their noses? For all he knew, the place could be crawling with First Order sympathizers.

"So you're not here to arrest anyone?"

"Should I be?"

He followed her gaze back into the room behind them. Every strange eye was on him. Maia smirked at the way his brow furrowed as his current position became very clear. "I wouldn't recommend it."

"Well, my offer still stands," he smiled again, as he turned back. He took one of the drinks from the tray and placed it down in front of her, meeting her gaze once more. "Join us, if you like. No politics, I promise. Just a few drinks."

"I'll think about it," she told him, sounding very much as though she wouldn't.

Nodding, he grabbed a tray, exchanging one last glance with Maz, then called one of his buddies over to give him a hand with the other. Maia watched as they made their way back to his table. Facing forward once more, she eyed the drink he had left before realizing Maz was staring at her.

"What?"

The bar owner flicked her with a dishtowel, causing her to flinch. "A good-looking boy like that makes a move on you and all you can say is 'what'?"

"I'm not interested," she told her, leaning back a little to avoid any more impromptu attacks.

"Like hell you're not."

She gazed at her old friend and sighed, unable to even look her in the eye as she replied. "I can't, Maz. I'm…I'm not ready." The words sounded pathetic even to her. She stared down into her cup, finding comfort in the swirling black liquid, but catching her miserable reflection in the process.

"You have to let that one go," the ancient pirate queen told her, her usually-blunt tone taking on a softer edge. Though small in stature, the woman's words always seemed to carry great weight. "You came all the way out here to escape that life. What harm is there in seeing where things go?"

Maia looked back over at the pilot who was chatting happily with his friends. He caught her gaze and smiled, catching her off guard a second time as she felt the corners of her mouth quirk up in response.

"He's too involved," she reasoned, as she turned back and regained some of her composure, though the strange flutter in her stomach still remained.

"Maybe that's a sign."

Maia looked up at her trusted confidante, the woman's centuries of experience shining through her words, but she still would not allow herself to believe it.

"I'm done with that. You know I can't go back now. I can't get involved again."

"Well, maybe just chat him up for the night, then," the pirate queen broke into a lighter note, "You've already got the room…"

"Maz!"

"Doesn't have to be a relationship, Maia, but I can see it in your eyes. You need the company."

She was right, and Maia knew it. She could put it down to the woman's force-sensitive nature, but she knew it was becoming more glaringly obvious with each day. For the past couple of years that she had been calling Takodana home, she had been hit on by men of all different species, from all different reaches of the galaxy, and she was beginning to wonder if that loneliness had always been showing through, drawing in other lonely souls like some gloomy black hole. The Resistance pilot was probably the one with the cleanest record, but then considering some of the work of the New Republic, the way they self-righteously 'cleaned-up' the galaxy, she wondered if that was entirely true. All of these young men and women had started somewhere, and she was certain that somewhere had been wherever the New Republic ordered them, and _whatever_ the New Republic had ordered them to do – you point, we'll shoot. She'd heard enough stories. She knew plenty of petty criminals whose worst crime was getting stolen cargo from point A to point B. Not all of them were killers.

The smash of glass snapped her out of her thoughts and she looked back in time to see a large Krish bearing over the group of pilots. The one who had invited her to join them stepped forward, pressing his fingers to the Krish's armor plating to create some distance between the humanoid and his friends, somehow managing to look calm and collected as he did so.

"Something we can help you with there, pal?" he asked staring up at him. The Krish stared back, eyes narrowing above his slitted nostrils, his bottom canines jutting over his top lip. Thick muscles flexed beneath leathery skin as a growl resonated from deep within his chest.

"New Republic scum," he said in a gruff voice, before spitting at the pilot's feet. He looked back up at him. His move. The pilot glanced down at the hunk of saliva then back up to meet the pirate's gaze. Maz stepped out from behind the bar to stand beside Maia, both waiting to see were this would go, though Maia didn't seem particularly concerned. Hands wrapped around her steaming mug, she continued to sip her beverage as she observed the unfolding scene from her seat. Everyone knew the unspoken rule about fighting in Maz's bar. Any disputes were to be settled outside, or risk being banned from the establishment for good. Or, depending the severity of the behavior, perhaps something worse.

The room had gone silent. All eyes were on the pilot and the pirate still standing over him.

Maia watched almost impressed as the pilot gave an amused huff and turned back to his friends, effectively putting an end to the confrontation. Or so he thought. The Krish's hand went for his blaster, but as he began to raise the weapon it was ripped from his hands by some unseen force. He fumbled at empty air. The pilots had jumped to their feet the moment they had seen him pull the weapon, but now stared in wonder at the woman by the bar as she aimed it at its previous owner.

Gripping the blaster with an even expression, Maia spoke to the would-be attacker in his harsh dialect, a calm but clear demand for him to stand down. He growled once more, taking a step towards her and jabbing a finger first in her direction, then at the pilots, as he argued back in furious tones. Still, appearing unaffected, she came back at him with the same, calm demand. But with his next response she seemed to falter, dropping the blaster back down by her side. Her reply came in a gentler but still commanding tone, and, knowing better than to argue with her again, the Krish finally backed down. Satisfied that he was no longer a threat, she passed him back his blaster, touching him on the arm in a way that came across oddly sympathetic to his would-be victim.

Glancing around, Maia was suddenly very aware of the attention she had drawn to herself. Her eyes skipped briefly back to the pilot, who, along with the rest of his squadron, continued to stare back in utter astonishment. As the chatter around the room began to pick up once more, the patrons satisfied that the spectacle had reached its conclusion, (and many disappointed that it had ended so peacefully), Maia moved back to the bar, glancing briefly at the drink that the young pilot had left her as she polished off her cup of caf. Sensing his impending approach, she took out some currency and placed it on the counter, turning to Maz before the woman could say a word. "Their next round's on me."

Maz watched her walk towards the front exit, knowing exactly where she would go, and shook her head. That had been a mistake, she knew, and not just because of the strict 'no fighting' policy. They had done so much to help her lay low, the fleeting moment could mean a huge setback. Maia had to know that. But then it had all happened so quickly she doubted anyone had had the chance to put two and two together. Her gaze swept across the room, but she caught no suspicious looks, no one contemplating following up on the incident. All except for one man.

Taking a seat atop the table, Poe Dameron watched with interest as the young woman who had just saved his life slipped silently into the night.


	2. Chapter 2: The Recluse

**THE RECLUSE**

The lush, sweeping forests of Takodana were like nothing else this side of the galaxy, rivalling even that of neighboring Endor. In the blue glow of the moonlight, the surrounding green expanse took on an enchanting quality that coaxed even the wariest of travelers into further exploration. Poe took little time to admire it, though, grasping at a low-hanging branch as he climbed over a fallen log, landing nimbly on the soft ground on the other side. He brushed his hands on his pants as he looked around. Either she moved fast, or he was very lost. He wasn't stalking her, he told himself, simply curious as to where she was going. Okay, so he was technically following her without her knowledge, but that wasn't…okay, so maybe he was stalking her. But from the way she had been talking back in the bar, maybe she _was_ up to some shady business that was worth investigating. At least that's what he told himself.

As he ventured further, the woodland grew denser and he soon found himself having to constantly push through the prickly branches of the ever-enclosing pines just to continue forward. Focused on untangling himself from some bristly undergrowth, he soon found that he had stumbled across a clearing. Moonlight flooded the small space, lighting his way as he moved into it. He paused as he came to a stream, staring down into the slow-flowing water. A gentle breeze rippled through the grass, carrying with it the fresh scent of pine and earth. He breathed deeply, reveling in the small luxury that his cockpit denied him. Though there was nothing that made him feel more at peace than being up in the air with the rest of his squadron, he would take this cool, fresh air over the recycled kind that filtered through his X-wing any day.

But something didn't feel right.

Glancing around, his hand went to his holster, a frown creasing his handsome features. All was quiet. Then he realized the little detail that he had unconsciously picked up on. All around him, tiny stones were floating, as if he had stumbled upon some sort of gravitational anomaly. He stepped up to one of them and reached out towards it, poking it with the tip of his finger. It seemed to flinch back, then all at once the stones dropped down to the forest floor. He stumbled back, unnerved, and was suddenly acutely aware of just how alone he was out there. He hadn't noticed the hum of energy around him until it was gone. The space suddenly felt very empty. He toed one of the larger stones as if expecting it to take to the air with his encouragement, but it remained where it was, just as still and silent as everything else around him. Off in the distance, the shrill cry of some strange creature sounded, soon answered by another close by. Hand still resting on his holster, he ventured onward.

It was the first time he had visited the planet, though his flight path had taken him past it many times before. His parents had fought together with the Rebels during the Battle of Endor, and he often found himself drawn back to this system, seeking the ghosts of their memories, dreaming that they had left some part of themselves back here for him to find. He wondered if they had ever come here, picturing the two of them sharing their own celebratory round of drinks after defeating the Empire. With a small, thoughtful smile he glanced around one last time, then carried on following the stream, hoping it might lead him somewhere – even if that somewhere was simply back the lake so that he might find his way back to the bar and his waiting buddies. He had told them he needed some fresh air, and he supposed that was half-true. He wasn't sure how much longer he could have endured the stench of the table of Gamorreans seated behind them, not to mention the unwelcoming stares of nearly every other patron in the place.

He shoved his hands inside the pockets of his tan and red leather jacket, attempting to stave off some of the chill that seemed to grow the deeper he moved into the forest. Growing up on his home planet of Yavin 4 – a world that was part jungle, part rainforest – he had become accustomed to a humid climate, and though he had visited dozens of planets since then, he found that he still favored the heat. Recalling the comfortable temperature back in Maz's bar, he began debating whether to head back and give his search up for a loss, or finish what he had set out to do. Poe Dameron was not a quitter, but who was he kidding? Even if he was, he wasn't sure he'd be able to find his way back anyway. Everything was starting to look the same.

Just when he was beginning to think he had passed the same splintered tree for what felt like the hundredth time, he found himself approaching an enormous boulder. He looked around. It seemed so out of place sitting out here on its lonesome. Almost as if it had been placed there… Intrigued, he ran his hand over its rough surface.

"I suppose you and your friends weren't celebrating your sneaking skills."

He jumped and spun around, his hand going back to his holster, but as soon as he saw who it was, he dropped it back down to his side. Maia stood a few feet away, arms crossed as she observed him. The moonlight seemed to add more depth to the dark hair that framed her face, and her deep blue eyes appeared almost black. She had the look of someone who had been interrupted, though the ghost of a smirk played at her lips at his wide-eyed expression.

"No, I guess not," he replied sheepishly.

"You're really the one that they send on covert missions?"

"So you know who I am, huh?" he smiled, but it was not pride in his response, rather surprise that rumors had reached so far. He supposed the castle was rife with gossip from all across the galaxy.

"I'm aware. What I don't know is why you're following me."

He shrugged. "Who said I was following you? Maybe I was just out taking a stroll. It's a nice night." He glanced up at the inky night sky, momentarily struck by the dazzling spread of stars, then looked back over to her, finding her to be the more interesting view.

She continued to stare.

"But since I ran into you," he went on, sensing her waning patience, "I might as well take the opportunity to thank you for what you did back there." He took a step towards her but caught her arms unfold ever-so-slightly, as if she wasn't sure what to expect from his approach. He showed his hands, the universal gesture that he meant no harm.

"You saved my life," he went on, risking another step.

"That's putting it a little dramatically," she replied, her eyes darting down to his feet.

"No, seriously. I mean, I don't know how you did it. But, thanks." He paused, a lingering question playing at his features. "How _did_ you get his weapon from him so fast?"

"Quick reflexes, I suppose."

"Very quick," he agreed. She could hear it now, that small, lingering doubt that tinged his reply; that dangerous uncertainty. She wondered if he had been the only one to take notice. "You guys have some sort of gravity issue here?"

Pulled from her worried thoughts, she frowned. "Gravity issue?"

"Yeah. When I was back there in the…" He jerked his thumb in the direction he had come from, but midway through the sentence seemed to change his mind. "You know what? Never mind. So, what are you doing out here?" The ease with which he went from concerned to casual was enviable.

"You remember what Maz said about everyone minding their business? That extends outside of the bar too."

He chuckled but it only seemed to aggravate the sharpness in her gaze.

"I'm sorry. I don't mean to intrude."

"Your stalking would suggest otherwise."

"Hey, I wasn't stalking," he said, defensively, "Technically, you were the one stalking me, sneaking up on me like that." His eyes went to her folded arms then back up to her unimpressed gaze. He was starting to get the impression this wasn't going very well. "Alright. Well. Now that I've had the chance to thank you, I guess I'll leave you to it." He took a few wandering steps away from her and glanced around, suddenly remembering how lost he was. Turning back, he thought he caught a glimmer of amusement in her eyes. He gestured one way, then the other, hoping for some hint at which direction to take, then, with a roll of the eyes, Maia finally gave in.

* * *

"So, Maia, have you lived here long?"

Maia willed herself to be polite. She had grown so used to her quiet solitude that the pilot's incessant need to talk was fast beginning to test her patience. She glanced over at him and felt some of her cold resolve melt away. She wasn't sure that she had ever met someone who seemed to balance their friendliness and charm so well. With anyone else it might have come across as cocky, but there was something so genuine about him that she felt she could let her guard down. Not much, but maybe enough. Remembering Maz's encouraging words, she decided to at least try to make some kind of effort.

"A while," she replied.

He nodded, glancing over as he figured out his next move. When faced with a tough mission, he always relied on instinct, but in this case it didn't seem to be helping. She wasn't wrong about her reflexes – she had been skillfully deflecting every advance he threw her way. He wasn't sure that he'd ever met someone so unrelenting.

"A while as in you were born here, or…?" he encouraged her to elaborate.

She glanced over, catching on to his attempts to get her to open up, and obviously not appreciating it, then shook her head. "A few years."

"Right."

They walked on in silence for a moment, her slightly ahead as though she couldn't be rid of him soon enough, but her haste only intrigued him more. As a fleet commander battling an enemy that was more advanced in almost every way, he had grown skilled in obtaining information from difficult individuals. But she was proving to be quite a challenge. Catching her glance back at him, he devised a new strategy.

"You know, you don't meet a lot of neutral people these days. I guess the conflict's getting harder to avoid."

"I don't get involved in politics," she said, simply, "I leave that up to the people who think they know what they're doing."

Now there was the click of an opening lock, the creak of a door that he now fully intended to step through. He smiled to himself, though he couldn't say he was particularly appreciative of her jab at their efforts.

"Ah, I see. You've got a real problem with us Resistance guys, huh? I know it's a mixed bag back there, but I never would have pegged you for a First Order sympathizer."

He had meant it to be teasing, to maybe incite a conversation with a little more passion, but she spun around on him so fast that he almost ran into her. From the look on her face, he hadn't snuck past that door so much as barged right through it. On the surface she appeared calm, but there was now such an intensity to her gaze that it was impossible not to see the anger seething behind it. He paused as he waited to see where this might go, and watched as some of that reflexive rage began to simmer down. He had definitely hit a nerve.

She began moving again, and after a moment of contemplation he took off after her, finding that he had to jog a little just to catch up. Her strides were longer now, and more determined, as though she were desperate to dump him back with his buddies. He had interrupted her much-needed cup of caffeine, disrupted her attempt to find peace in her personal sanctuary, and now he seemed determined to disturb what she had worked so hard to put to rest in her mind.

"Sorry," he said once he was back beside her, their pace slowing some as she became weighed down by heavy thoughts. "I apologize if I offended you, it wasn't my intention. Anyone ever told you you're a little hard to talk to?"

"No," she replied, "Usually because I never bother talking to anyone."

He chuckled. "Well, see, there's your problem."

"Not a problem from where I'm standing."

"I'm starting to get the feeling that you're not much of a people person."

She glanced over at him again, and he could have sworn that he caught the corner of her mouth twitch, though it was hard to tell if that was a good sign or a bad one – a smile, or a scowl?

"Though I can understand why you might not want to socialize with those-"

"What?" she cut him off, "Those thieves? Those murderers?"

"Not what I was going to say," he told her, "but considering the way that guy pulled his weapon on me..."

She scoffed and he frowned, unable to see what she could possibly find to disapprove of.

"You know why he did that?" she asked.

"Like you said, he probably thought we were there to arrest him," Poe replied, knowing from her tone alone that he would be wrong.

She turned to face him again and for a moment he forgot that she needed to tell him the answer. He found himself caught in her gaze like a helpless ship in a tractor beam. From this proximity he found he had the opportunity to admire her features in greater detail. There was a thin scar he hadn't noticed before, running across her cheek, the hint of another below her bottom lip. His gaze rested on those lips for a moment as she continued to speak, but as soon as he became aware of the subject matter, it flew up to meet her dark eyes.

"His family was killed a few weeks ago, during a firefight between Resistance and First Order pilots. He says it was a Resistance fighter that shot up his village. Could have been a misfire. Maybe they thought there were more enemies hiding in the huts. Or maybe they just didn't give a damn. Means to an end, I suppose."

"I'm sorry to hear that," he replied, stupidly. He didn't know what to say. The exchange made sense now, the Krish's anger, then his sudden break; the way she had offered a fleeting moment of comfort for the man's loss. "I can't imagine…"

"Because you don't have to. Because you're the one on the other side of the trigger."

He stared at her for a moment, her blunt words cutting deeper than he had expected. There had always been losses on both sides, but for the sake of his own sanity he tried not to linger on them for too long –though that didn't seem to help with the sleepless nights, and those were becoming a regular occurrence.

"Look, I know how something like that makes us look, but I've seen what the First Order does firsthand. What we're doing out there, it's important. Someone needs to take the threat seriously. So while the New Republic sits on their thumbs, we're the ones pushing back against the real threat. Some of us don't have the luxury of sitting it out." The words came tumbling out before he had a chance to stop them, so caught up the passion he felt for his cause that he no longer cared about whether or not he caused offense. A distant look had come over Maia, and he was suddenly worried he'd taken it too far.

"When we get back, I suggest you and your friends find somewhere else to celebrate."

He blinked at her, processing her response. Yep, definitely too far.

"Look, like I said, I'm sorry. I realize I might have overstepped my bounds a little there, but I don't appreciate the threat."

"It's not a threat," she assured him, "Just giving you some friendly advice."

"A little lax on the friendly part there."

She threw him a look that he was quickly growing used to receiving, then all at once her expression dropped into high alert. She shoved him out of the way just as a laser-blast shot past them. Poe, who had landed on a pile of nettles, glanced from his second-time-savior towards the source of the gunfire. It was hard to make out anything in the surrounding shadows, but Maia appeared to have the enemy in her sights. Eyes still trained on the darkness, she offered her hand to Poe and pulled him to his feet.

"We need to go."

"Yeah, I kinda got that," he replied, following after her as she began moving quickly through the trees. He took his own blaster from its holster and turned to look back for any sign of the shooter. He thought he caught movements in the distance, but didn't have time to stop and find out. As they neared a particularly large tree, he felt himself shoved back into its rough trunk. Maia stood in front of him, one arm resting to his right against the tree as she stared back into the forest. At this proximity, he found it difficult to be worried, but as soon as he heard another shot he tore his gaze away from her.

"I guess you weren't kidding about me and my buddies needing to leave."

"They're not here for you, flyboy."

He looked at her, his curiosity suddenly peaking.

She hadn't thought anyone had noticed, that from one tiny mistake she might have revealed what she was. All the years she had spent in hiding, she had been so careful. All that the others passing through the castle knew about her was that she could handle herself, and that she was one of the best in her line of work. She had never given any real indication of what she might be, or _who_ she might be. But now, as she fought to make her way back to the only place she had left to call home, the one thing she had been trying to avoid had finally come to pass. They had finally come for her.


	3. Chapter 3: The First Domino

**Quick A/N:** Thank-you to those who have followed, favorited, and/or reviewed so far. I just wanted to make a quick note that I am largely winging this story (not plot-wise, plot-wise I know exactly where I'm going). In terms of, well, terms and references related to the Star Wars universe, I'm relying largely on what I've picked up from the movies, and whatever I have managed to pick up from the few books I've read. I'm researching what I don't know as I go, and I've had trouble with a few things (like the names of some of the ships). If anyone has any pointers or friendly advice, I am more than willing to take it. If anything seems implausible within the SW universe context (heck, even just in general), please let me know. I can only fix what I'm made aware of. Many thanks!

* * *

 **THE FIRST DOMINO**

It was hard for Maia to fathom how her day could possibly have taken such an unexpected turn. For years now she had been following the same, dull routine: a cup of caf at the bar upon waking (that was, if she had been lucky enough to find sleep in the first place), usually accompanied by Maz's insistence that she actually eat something, then, if she had no jobs planned, hours of her usual meditation. She could sit for a long time in deep focus, as she had once been taught, though it had taken her years to reach such a level of discipline and concentration. After she had first arrived at Maz's castle she had been so distraught, so unbalanced, so willing to give up, that she had barely been able to sit still for more than a few minutes. With time, her training had come back to her. But now…

She glanced over at the pilot. All it had taken was one chance encounter and one tiny slip up. It was all his fault, she told herself. Why did they have to choose Takodana? Of all the planets, in all the systems, in all the galaxy…

 _Maybe it's a sign,_ Maz's voice echoed in her mind.

No. She wasn't ready. But then she never really had been, even from the beginning.

Another laser blast shot past them, missing Poe by mere inches.

"Who are these guys?" he asked, risking a glance around the tree and back into the dark woods as he took his blaster pistol out from its holster.

"Bounty hunters," Maia scowled.

"Bounty hunters? What are bounty hunters doing chasing you down in the middle of a forest?"

"Either trying to capture me, or trying to kill me," she replied. He raised his eyebrows and she looked over at him. "Depending on who hired them."

"What did you do?"

"There's a lot of answers to that question, none of which I have time to explain."

"See, I knew there was more to you than you were letting on." He stepped out from behind the tree, pistol raised and ready.

"What are you doing?" Maia hissed.

"Making sure they don't follow us back," he replied.

"That's a bad idea," she told him, catching him by the wrist in an effort to encourage him to lower his weapon. He couldn't see them, couldn't sense them like she could. The last thing she needed was the death of the Resistance's best pilot hanging over her head. He was a skilled fighter, but bounty hunters played dirty. They would pull any move necessary to get the job done.

"I thought you said they were trying to kill you."

" _Trying_ being the key word," she told him. "They're fools to come after me."

Pride. Pride was only a distraction. She took a deep breath and forced it away.

"So what do you suggest?"

"Wait for them to show themselves." She pulled him back behind the tree and he watched as she closed her eyes, her brow creasing in concentration.

"Really?" he asked, skeptically. He had never been a 'run and hide' kind of guy, and they'd already done far too much of the latter for his liking.

She glanced back up at him, her frown still evident. "Yes, really. I know you're probably used to taking the offensive, but sometimes a defensive position is more effective."

"You might find it a little harder to sit this one out," he commented, catching a very sharp glance in return. He looked her up and down and took a guess at the real reason behind her apparent cowardice. "You don't have a weapon."

"I don't have a weapon," she agreed, with a sigh. In the two years she had called the planet home, she had never once needed it.

Smirking, he froze as he heard the snap of a twig underfoot. There was silence, the approaching shooters overcompensating for their mistake. It only made it easier for Maia to hone in on their position.

"Fifty yards east, and forty west," she said, almost muttering to herself as she continued to focus on the pulse of the enemies' lifeforce. Poe stared at her in wonder. Her eyes fluttered open and she looked up at him. "Well?"

Refocusing on the problem at hand, he risked a glance around the side of the tree, spotting one of the approaching figures immediately. Catching them off guard, he took a shot, striking them in the chestplate of their armor. They dropped with a cry of pain, alerting their associate of the impending attack. Turning east, Poe caught the second bounty hunter making their final approach. They cut a large silhouette against the other shadows, barreling their way towards him as if they would sooner knock him over than shoot him. He fired and they dodged the shot, surprising him with their speed, given their size. He took a second shot and it grazed their arm, but before he could line up the final blow, they raised their blaster rifle and took a shot of their own. The force of the blast knocked him off his feet. He had left himself too open. Why had he done that? Then he caught Maia's fearful gaze as she looked down at him, and remembered why. He had been protecting her. It was his instinct, even before he had joined the Resistance; fighting for those unable to fight themselves, protecting the vulnerable and the innocent. Thought he wasn't sure she fit into any of those categories.

A warmth began to spread across his shoulder and he glanced down at the growing wet stain on his black shirt. Red was splattered across his tan leather jacket. He gave a frustrated growl as he felt his body responding to the wound, and grit his teeth as he tried to push himself up. He'd been through worse, he reminded himself, but even so he felt his blood pounding and consciousness beginning to slip away. He thought of his friends back in the castle, wondering if he would make it back to them. He wouldn't let them down. He never had before.

The last thing he remembered before he blacked out, was Maia stepping out from the shadows, and the figure from the woods flying towards her outstretched hand.

* * *

They were going to blame her, she could see it now. A strange man decides to follow her through the woods and get himself shot, but no, it would somehow be her fault. Taking the final few steps towards the castle courtyard, Maia was thankful she had stuck to more than just mental training. She wasn't sure how she would have carried him back, otherwise. There wasn't much of her – subsisting mainly on caffeine would do that to you, no matter how hard a certain pirate queen tried to force-feed her baked cushnip and whichever fruit she happened to have been offered for trade – but her abilities more than made up for that. She lowered him down to the ground, looking into his still features and closing her eyes as she probed his mind for a sign of activity. He was still there, his life-force ebbing and flowing as his body struggled to cope with the wound. It wasn't fatal, she didn't think. But there certainly was a lot of blood.

"Damn you," she muttered, looking up at the castle as she considered her next move. Walking in now, clothes covered in bloodstains, she would draw far too much attention, and she'd already done that enough for one evening. A flurry of beeps sounded from nearby and she turned her head in time to see an orange and white droid rolling towards her at high speed. It came to a stop, a furious flow of beeps and whirrs continuing to pour from it as it butted her leg.

"Hey! Stop that!" she told it, and was answered with the same hysterical chorus of beeps. "You know this guy? Hey, listen!" The droid stopped its lamentations immediately, emitting a single beep of surprise at her tone. "He's hurt, but he's going to be okay." The droid made a few more beeps, not sounding so sure. Its dome dipped down as if it were evaluating the damage. "I need you to head inside and get the rest of your friends out here, okay? I need their help." It gave a few beeps of agreement but seemed hesitant to leave Poe's side. "He'll be okay, trust me. But we need to get him back to a ship." The droid paused for a moment, then hurried off, rolling as fast as its spherical body would allow it. She watched it roll up the steps and disappear through a gap in the doorway as an exiting patron jumped out of its path. They barely glanced in her direction as they passed by, as if a man bleeding to death on the steps was of no concern to them.

While she awaited further aid, she decided to check the extent of his wounds, pulling back his jacket and ripping the singed hole in his black t-shirt open wide enough to get a proper look. The movement seemed to aggravate the clotting wound, as fresh blood began to trickle out of it. She glanced up at his face with a look of sympathy that bordered on apologetic. He had only been trying to help. The green blood of the bounty hunter was splattered across his face and she reached up, wiping away what she could. She was plucking a chunk of gore from his hair when was alerted once more to the incoming droid as it sounded a series of loud, worried beeps. The clatter of boots gave her some relief, now that help was on its way, but when she turned to look at the approaching pilots she found she lost most of that feeling.

"What happened?" one of the men asked as he stepped forward, his tone and expression already implying her guilt. He was a burly figure, tall and unshaven.

"We were attacked out in the forest."

"Attacked? By who?" he replied, as he dropped to one knee beside his commander. He pressed two fingers to Poe's neck, concerned by his unconscious state. Feeling the steady beat, he turned back and gave a nod to his friends, who shared an immediate look of relief.

"What was he doing out in the forest?" another man asked, this one a blue-green skinned Duros. His large, red eyes scanned over Poe before rising to meet her gaze.

"You can ask him that when he wakes up. As for who," she went on, turning back to the first speaker, "It was a pair of bounty hunters, probably out to get some revenge on the people putting him out of business." None of them caught the lie, except for the droid, who gave a questioning beep. She glanced over at it and it seemed to look away.

"We need to get him back to the ship," the Duros commented.

"How?" one of the women replied, eyeing Maia with suspicion.

The third and final man of the group, an Abednedo, shook his head, the two tendrils on either side of his mouth swaying with the movement. "He's not in any shape to travel with any of us."

"And what about his X-wing?"

"BB-8, can you get it back to the hangar?" the same woman asked. She was shorter than the others, with warm, brown skin and a shock of blonde hair. She appeared to have already assumed command in their leader's absence.

The little droid gave a confident beep in reply, but still seemed reluctant to leave his master.

As she listened to the pilots talk amongst themselves, Maia felt a nagging impulse that she was desperate to ignore.

 _He's too involved._

 _Maybe that's a sign._

She had once trusted her instincts, believed that everything happened for a reason, and that, so long as she remembered her training, things would work out the way they were supposed to. But that had been a long time ago, and she had long lost faith in those beliefs. But now she felt the pull of this decision more than anything before. It was time. And she was terrified.

"I'll take him," she said suddenly, cutting the others off. They looked over at her. The Duros exchanged a look with his female counterpart before his red-eyed gaze moved back to Maia.

"I'm not sure that's the best idea," he replied.

"Do you have any better ones? Maybe we can go and ask one the pirates in there if they'll give him a ride. There's bound to be at least one friendly mercenary just waiting for the opportunity to do their good deed for the day."

The bearded man sighed and looked around at the others as he got back up to his feet. "You have a ship, I assume?"

She stared at him, allowing a moment for the stupidity of the question to sink in. "Why else would I be offering? No wonder you're losing the war." She muttered the last part under her breath, thankful that the others were too concerned about their commander's current state to take any notice.

"Alright, let's move," the blonde woman decided, "Where's your ship?"

"Around the back. You guys are fine to fly, right?" The team of pilots stared back at her. "I mean, with the drinking and all."

"We only had a couple," the bearded man assured her, glancing around and receiving nods of assent from the others. "Come on. We'll lead the way."

"We'll need to notify General Organa," the Abednedo said, as they began to move off.

Anxiety flooded through Maia at the sound of the old, familiar name.

"Let her know our next mission might be delayed," the woman agreed.

The bearded man and the Duros stepped up and grasped their commander from each end, lifting him and starting off in the direction Maia had indicated. One woman, who had yet to speak, looked back over at her, but Maia was too lost in worried thoughts to even notice. This one was a little taller than the blonde, with a round face and sleek, black hair tied back in a helmet-friendly braid.

"The one who shot him," she asked, "Where is he now?"

Maia looked up. "He didn't make it," she replied, and the woman gave a nod of approval.

"I want to thank you for looking out for him. It's nice to have someone else doing it for a change."

Maia pulled a grim smile. Considering the commander's current state, she didn't feel like she deserved any sort of gratitude.

"Jess," the woman said, extending her hand. Maia made to accept it, only to remember the state of her own hand. She glanced down at the fast-drying blood, and Jess seemed to catch on, dropping her hand back down again.

"I'm Maia."

"Well, Maia, hope you didn't have plans for this evening, because it's going to be quite a flight."

Maia frowned. "How far is your ship?"

"Just outside the atmosphere, but we weren't expecting to stick around. We're needed back at the command ship. The General will be expecting us."

The General's face flashed into Maia's mind. The broken, betrayed look that had driven a spike through her heart the last time she had seen her. She had long been expecting this day to come, she only wished it wasn't so soon. Like everything else, it seemed, she just wasn't ready.

* * *

"Who was it? Did you recognize them?"

Maia shook her head as she shoved a couple of items into an old backpack. If her instincts were right, she would be away for longer than she'd hoped. Maz stood in the doorway watching her hurried movements.

"Just some Dowutin bounty hunter and his Trandoshan sidekick" she replied, glancing back at her, "You know what this means, right?"

"It is time."

"Maz."

"I know, I know. You're not ready. But that is too bad. Because what will come to pass is ready for you."

Maia paused to look over at her. Maz was holding out her old weapon.

"No."

"You will need it."

"No," she replied firmly, turning away. She still felt the lifeforce of the Dowutin beneath her fingers, the squeeze of his windpipe, and the spray of skull and brain matter as she utilized Poe's discarded weapon. The power of a life taken by her own hand.

She pushed the thoughts away, desperate to focus on something else. She wasn't ready to get involved again. She wasn't strong enough. Not yet.

"You are not who you once were." Maz knew how to read her better than anyone she had ever known. She owed her life to the woman. Had it not been for her, Maia was certain the darkness would have swallowed her up long ago.

"You have great fear in you," Maz said, "And that is a good thing."

Maia finally looked over to meet the woman's gaze.

"Trust in the Force. It will show you the way."

* * *

The air inside the ship was cool and musty. She hadn't had need of it in months; it had literally been sitting there gathering dust. Any jobs that had come up were usually carried out on her partner's ship, for which she was particularly grateful – even if he did make fun her for white-knuckling the arms of her seat whenever they were about to enter hyperspace. She had never much liked flying, even when she was in a state of balance. That wasn't to say that she was bad at it – she was just as good as anyone with her kind of training – but she'd had terrible dreams as a child; dreams of floating through space, as if she had been blown from a ship and left adrift in the infinite reaches.

After getting Poe situated in the ship's modest med bay – a single, small cot that he barely fit on – and patching him up with what little resources she had on hand, she took a seat in the cockpit and ran her hand over the controls, refamiliarizing herself. She ran a quick diagnostic check, and with everything appearing to be in order, switched on the ignitions. She felt the engines rumble to life beneath her. She had always been a nervous flyer, especially in small ships or fighters, and she felt some of that childhood fear coming back to her as she prepared herself for take-off. Glancing back at Poe, she pulled back on the throttle levers and felt the ship lift up from the ground. She was in the air now, no longer connected to planet, merely floating in its atmosphere. The shift in energy almost made her dizzy. She took a deep breath as they gradually continued to rise.

 _"This is Black Two, checking in. Respond."_

She jumped as the ship's transceiver came to life.

"I read you, Black Two. Patch through the co-ordinates, I won't be far behind."

As the co-ordinates came through, she felt herself relax back into the soft leather of the pilot's seat. She put the ship on auto and ran her fingers back through her hair. It was one less thing to worry about, but then she had a whole mental list of other concerning matters to get through.

General Organa. Leia. What was she going to say? It had been so long. The last time she had seen her was just after everything had fallen apart, when she had been at her very lowest point. She hadn't been able to explain her actions then, and in the time that had passed, she had not found a way to do so now. She did not expect forgiveness. She barely expected hospitality.

She was shaken from her thoughts as the ship shuddered beneath her. They had already cleared the atmosphere by then, and weren't far from the command ship, but something wasn't right. The ship bucked and continued to shudder. Every childhood nightmare came flooding back. She focused on her breathing, then on working out the cause of the malfunction. The screen to her left began to flash, followed by angry beeps all around her. The ship dipped again and she jerked hard on the controls, bringing the nose up too far to compensate.

"No, no, no." She evened it out again, hoping the other pilots were too far ahead to have noticed. She had already made a bad enough first impression, she didn't need to make any more of an idiot of herself in front of the seasoned flyers.

 _"Black Two, again. Everything alright over there? You have flown before, right?"_

She groaned. "Yeah, yeah. I think I've got engine problems. Damn hunk of junk. It's not worth its weight in scrap metal." Knowing her luck, the whole ship had probably been picked apart by passing pirates as it sat unused.

 _"Can you make it to the docking bay?"_

"Well, I don't see any other choice. Unless you guys want to tow me, I just gotta hope this thing doesn't give out before we get there."

 _"Roger that. That's precious cargo you got on board, there, ma'am,"_ Black Two replied, with a touch of humor to his voice. _"You might want to go down with your ship, but we aren't losing our commander."_ Silence followed, and for a moment Black Two thought he had already lost them. He considered turning back to check on their status, as he adjusted one of the dials on his comm with a worried frown. _"You reading there, ace?"_

"Huh? Yeah. Sorry. I was trying to figure out how to switch off the transceiver."

She heard the pilot laugh, and even though she hadn't been kidding, she felt herself smile. She wondered what Poe might have to say about her already getting to know some of his squadron. She had made such an effort to distance herself from him in the bar, and here she was almost part of the team – though she was certain they weren't looking out for her by constantly checking in, more likely making sure she wasn't about to take their commander hostage. It had taken a huge leap of faith for them to entrust him to such a stranger, but she had no intention of making a break for it. Even if she had, with the current state of the ship, she doubted she would have made it far.

As they made their final approach, with her making desperate, last-minute attempts to keep the small ship level enough to land without doing too much damage to either itself or the landing bay, she felt a sudden connection. One that she hadn't felt in a long time. She glanced up.

"Leia."

* * *

 **Afternote:** If anyone knows the name of the Resistance command ship used in the Force Awakens, please let me know! I know their base is on D'Qar, but I have no idea which ship is their flagship. Any advice is much appreciated.


	4. Chapter 4: The General

**THE GENERAL**

Medical staff rushed on board as Maia waited by Poe's bed. She had been frowning down at his pale face, concentrating on the ebb and flow of his energy, monitoring his condition. He seemed stable, but his energy had weakened some during the flight. He would make it. One less thing for the General to hold against her.

As she watched him being taken away, she realized she was now standing alone in the hangar of a Resistance fleet ship. If she had been asked a few hours ago where she had planned to be by the end of the night, surrounded by Resistance fighters would not have even made the bottom of the list of possible answers. It wouldn't have even made the list of 'least likely places she would be'. The thought would never have crossed her mind. Taking advantage of the moment of solitude, she grabbed her backpack and pulled out the few items of clothing she had thought to pack - an off-white tunic and brown pants. After changing into the new outfit, she discarded her soiled clothes on the floor of the medbay, feeling somewhat presentable for the inevitable reunion to come. Walking down the ramp and into the empty hangar, she paused, closed her eyes and reached out. She could feel every lifeforce on the ship, could isolate the one that stood out to her the most, but it was not her main focus right now. Thinking on Maz's parting advice, she sought more answers to what had brought her there. Why now? The pull was so strong that it was impossible to ignore. This was where she was meant to be, but she couldn't figure out why, after all this time. The Force wasn't known for giving straightforward answers, and often seeking out the truth only raised further questions.

Her focus was disrupted by approaching lifeforces. She opened her eyes and watched as a pair of officers turned into the hangar. They had come for her. She watched as they made their approach, but gave nothing away. These two were easy to read. They were not aware of who she was, but they were curious; their minds were relaxed and open to her. As they came to stop in front of her, they exchanged glances, deciding who would be the one to relay the orders. The man gave a subtle jerk of the head in Maia's direction as he stared at his female counterpart and the woman rolled her eyes.

"General Organa requests your presence," the woman said, ignoring the apologetic look the man was throwing her. Maia tried not to smile. These two were a couple. They hadn't made their partnership common knowledge yet, and the man was still nervous in his lover's presence. He lacked confidence, even when speaking, and though the woman admonished him for it, she held great love for him. Maia felt herself relax. She missed being able to read people like this. She had taken caution against it after she had gone into hiding, worried she might slip up in a conversation with a piece of information she shouldn't have known. Of course, it came in handy during negotiations on jobs, and her business partner took full advantage of that.

Finally allowing the request to sink in, Maia refocused on her breathing and gave a nod that she hoped passed as amicable. Exchanging looks that had nothing to do with her, the pair of officers led the way towards the command post.

The ship was a hive of activity, with engineers, droids and other personnel bustling through the corridors, all moving with purpose towards their next objective. One droid in particular caught her eye.

"Hey!"

The two officers turned back to look at her and followed her gaze to the orange and white BB unit. It swiveled its dome around to look at her, letting loose a chorus of beeps as it recognized her. The officers exchanged looks as she crouched down to meet its approach. Despite its familiarity, it still seemed wary, slowing its roll and looking first to the officers, then up at her.

"How's your friend? Have you seen him?" she asked.

It gave an unsure beep, as if it knew she hadn't called it over to ask about Poe. Sensing this, she cut right to the chase.

"So, uh, I was wondering. If you're not busy, do you think you could take a look at my ship?"

"We can have one of the service droids take care of that for you," the female officer told her, frowning at the interaction. But the BB unit seemed to disagree, sounding off a confident chorus of beeps in argument. Maia looked back at them with a smirk, then turned back to the spirited little astromech. It gave a few more questioning beeps.

"I'm not sure," she replied, "It could be missing parts. Takodana isn't exactly the safest place to leave a ship unattended, if you know what I mean." The droid gave a sad beep in response. Maia smiled. She hadn't been in contact with many droids in her time, none with as much personality anyway, but she had always loved their naïve innocence. She had only ever known one droid that lacked that quality, its unprogrammed cynicism equaling that of any war-weary soldier. She often wondered what had become of that droid.

"The General will be waiting," the female officer spoke again, "We should carry on."

Maia stared at the droid and wondered if she was just stalling, avoiding the inevitable, uncomfortable reunion. The beep of the BB unit broke her from her thoughts. "Let me know what you find, uh..." Sensing the unspoken question, the BB unit gave her the answer. "BB-8", she smiled, "Thanks, BB-8, I really appreciate it." The droid gave a happy little beep, glad to be helping its friend's rescuer, and rolled off to begin its inspection.

Maia got back up to her feet and found the officers staring at her.

"Let's keep moving," the female officer suggested.

Maia gave an awkward smile and nodded. Yeah. Let's get this over with.

* * *

After years of living in relative solitude, being stuck in a room full of Resistance commanders and strategists was enough to have Maia wishing she could slink back towards her defective ship and wait out the repair time with BB-8. It had to be better company at least. A number of questioning glances were thrown her way, but she had grown used to ignoring such things. Still, she dropped her gaze to the floor, doing her best to keep the knot of nerves in her stomach under control as her heart pounded. It didn't seem to matter the amount of training she'd had when it came to keeping her emotions under control; she was still human, after all.

As the important men and women began to filter out through the door, their briefing having reached its conclusion prior to her arrival, Maia lifted her gaze to the holo-table in the center of the room. Whatever plans it had been displaying only moments ago were now safely hidden away. She could hear hushed voices across the room, one of them very familiar, but she didn't look up. She wasn't ready to face her, and she felt like an utter coward. Footsteps passed her and the door slid closed behind the last of the commanders. The room fell into deep silence. Finally, Maia looked up. Leia Organa looked exactly the same as the day she had left her. A little greyer, perhaps, after years of pushing back against an unrelenting enemy, but her face had stayed the same. Beneath that regal beauty, it still held the same mixture of pity and unresolved betrayal. They held each other's gaze for a long time, then General Organa began to pace, her fingers laced behind her back.

"I hear you met Commander Dameron."

Maia swallowed the lump in her throat and let out the breath she hadn't realized she had been holding. Her brow quirked into a fleeting frown. This wasn't how she had expected the conversation to begin. She was certain there were far more obvious issues that needed be addressed first. "You could say that," she heard herself reply. She felt like she had switched to autopilot. She only hoped it didn't fail her the same way her ship's had. Then the subtle accusation behind the statement hit her. Our best pilot had a run in with you, now he's unconscious in the medbay. Maybe she was imagining it; Leia Organa wasn't known for being passive-aggressive, mainly just aggressive, and it had won both the Rebellion and the Resistance many a battle. Maia had once admired it, but finding herself now under the woman's critical gaze, she felt that admiration slip into discomfort.

"Wanna tell me what happened down there?"

Okay, so maybe not an accusation. This was good. This was okay. This was a way to ease into things. She had feared it would be so much harder than this.

"I assume you've heard some of it."

"Lieutenant Kun gave me a rundown. Now I want your side of it."

"Well…" Where to begin? "Commander Dameron followed me into the forest on Takodana."

"And why did he do that?" There was a slight implication there that Maia didn't like, though maybe she was imagining that, too. Did she really think Maia had incited it? But what would it matter if she had? Leia couldn't possibly believe that there was still any chance of reconciliation, not after the way Maia had left things...

"He's persistent, I guess."

Leia gave a huff of amusement. "Sounds like Poe, alright. Then what happened?"

"We were attacked. By a couple of bounty hunters." She felt an obvious question hanging between them and went on, "Well, before that, there was an incident in the castle."

Leia's gaze bored into her. Though Maia was quite capable of putting up a wall between their minds, she was finding it difficult to concentrate enough to keep it there.

"What kind of incident?"

"One of the pirate's drew a pistol on Poe. I…intervened. No one was hurt," she assured her.

The General didn't need any further explanation. "But others saw."

Maia nodded.

"Is that why you're here?"

Maia's brow quirked into a brief frown. "I offered to bring Poe back. The one who shot him, he was after me."

"So you're not safe there anymore." Leia continued to pace, slow and leisurely, with a thoughtful expression.

Maia had been trying not to think about it too much. Just the thought of being on the run again after finally finding somewhere that brought her peace… She had nowhere else to go. "I can't run again."

"Does he know? Did you feel anything?" Leia asked, her eyes probing Maia's for answers. There was a touch of hope to the older woman's voice, and she knew she wasn't talking about Poe.

"No. It was the first time I'd used my abilities in front of anyone there, but not the first time I'd used them on the planet. I put up a block. He can't find me." She felt an old wound threatening to reopen and fought to keep it closed. Two years and it felt like it had barely healed.

"You don't want him to." The soft-spoken words – sounding so strange coming from the tough war commander – seemed like a statement, but Leia looked as if she was expecting an answer, as though it might either confirm or disprove some long-held belief.

Maia didn't reply. She wasn't sure she knew how.

"I know, after everything that happened, all the sacrifices you had to make, why you wanted to run. Why you stayed in hiding for so long," Leia went on, "I can feel how scared you are, even now. But I don't hate you. I want you to know that." Maia looked up, forgetting she wasn't the only one that could read people. "I, of all people, understand sacrifice."

Everything seemed to fade away. She could still feel Leia there, hear her talking, but the comforting flow of the Force had left her. _The sacrifices you had to make…_ She tried to concentrate, to reconnect to it, but a dark shadow was sweeping towards her.

A gentle touch brought her back. Leia was standing in front of her, her fingers resting on her arm, and under her gaze she felt herself come back into the room. She could feel the flow of energy once more, the hum of the other lifeforces on the ship. She concentrated on them and slowly felt her balance return.

"I'm not ready," she heard herself whisper, "For any of this."

"I'm not asking anything of you," Leia assured her, "But this is no mere coincidence, surely you can see that. My pilots know better than to take their leisure time in a pirate castle." Maia felt the corners of her mouth quirk up at the playful tone. "They were drawn there, by something far greater than you or I. They were meant to bring you back here. And now it seems you have a choice to make. You've sat this one out for far too long. You sit it out any longer and you'll be the one left picking up the pieces. Think about it. And don't let your past dictate your future." Leia gazed at her for a moment before she straightened, the serious moment passing. "Now that that's over and done with, I hear a glass of wine calling my name. If I have to endure any more meetings with New Republic representatives, I might start hearing the whole bottle."

Maia chuckled, almost feeling as though they were back on old terms, that none of the darkness had passed between them – but still that shadow of doubt lingered over her. Sensing her uncertainty, Leia gave her an almost-motherly look that sent a pang of nostalgia through the younger woman.

"Stay as long as you need to. But if you stay too long, I'll take it as your unofficial offer of service."

They shared a smile; Leia's comforting, Maia's deeply unsure.

The general moved towards the door and paused as it opened with a gentle whoosh, turning back one last time. "It's good to see you again, Maia."

Maia felt a surge of renewed purpose as she watched the woman who had once treated her like a daughter exit the room. She was on her own again, now. It was strange. She had reveled in her relative solitude back on Takodana, but here she felt almost lonely. She took a moment to gather her thoughts, then decided to go and check on the man she had led into danger. She only hoped that he was as forgiving.

* * *

As she moved down the long, white corridor towards the medbay, she was grateful that most of the people who passed her were too focused on their tasks to pay her much attention. She did receive a couple of glances, but unlike the suspicious ones she had received from the commanders, these were unassuming, friendly even. As she returned the smile of a passing engineer, she found that she had finally reached her intended destination. A large window gave her a view of the open medical unit, with dividing curtains offering those situated further back in the room an option for privacy. Before she had a chance to change her mind about dropping in, Maia caught the pilot's gaze. Poe grinned at the look of surprise that came over her. She hadn't been expecting to have to talk to him, hoping to make a quick visit to check on his condition. He was already sitting up, naked from the waist up as a medical droid inspected his wound. An intravenous line extended from his forearm to the transfusion pack hanging up beside him. He was still pale from the blood loss, but that didn't appear to have dampened his friendly nature. Maia stepped into the room just as the droid moved off towards the supply cabinet. She watched it as it passed by, trying to avoid eye contact with the commander for a long as she could.

"Hey," Poe greeted, his tone far warmer than she had been expecting.

"Hey," she replied, awkwardly, finally meeting his gaze. "How are you feeling?"

The medical droid bustled back past her carrying a tray of cotton wipes and antiseptic. Poe eyed it with some trepidation before looking back at her.

"Ehh, I'm alright." He flinched back with a small hiss of pain as the droid dabbed his wound. The heat of the blast had cauterized some of it, leaving ugly, black scarring around the edges, and the surrounding area was developing a nasty-looking bruise. Noticing her expression, he gave her a reassuring smile. "It's not as bad as it looks." She wasn't so sure. As the droid continued its work, he looked her up and down, as if checking for any damage of her own. "You're okay?" he made sure.

She nodded, but before she could reply, a wild flurry of beeps erupted from behind her as BB-8 came zooming in. The medical droid made a disapproving sound of its own, and the astromech gave an apologetic response as it slowed down.

"Hey, buddy!" Poe greeted, happily. The droid returned the greeting with its usual, excited beeps, then it turned its dome towards Maia. Poe glanced between them as Maia dropped down to one knee. She listened carefully as it gave its report.

"Damn, I knew it," she said to herself.

"What's he talking about? Missing parts?" Poe asked, as the medical droid began to apply a dressing over his wound, his constant movements appearing to agitate the tall droid.

Maia glanced over at him. "My ship was acting up on the flight over here. Almost didn't think we were going to make it."

"You flew me here?"

"Yeah. Your friends didn't have a lot of room for an unconscious commander in their cockpit. Plus I think the whole bleeding out thing was a concern for them."

He chuckled and flashed another grin, managing to appear charming even beneath the sheen of sweat. "You know that's the second time you've saved my life."

BB-8 looked between them.

"Yeah, trying not to make a habit of it. And technically it's the third time."

His brow creased as he tried to recall his last moments in the forest. He remembered getting shot and flying back into the cold dirt and nettles…then there was something else in the back of his mind that he couldn't quite reach. "What happened to the other bounty hunter?"

"I took care of it."

"With what?"

"I got a hold of your blaster at the last minute." It was only half a lie. He nodded, but there was a touch of doubt in his gaze.

"So what's this about your ship?"

BB-8 started up with another chorus of beeps as it answered for her.

"I don't know what I was expecting, leaving it near a castle full of pirates," Maia sighed, giving the droid a grateful look for its help.

"Well, I guess that one kind of goes without saying," Poe nodded, "So you're stuck here, huh?"

"A little bit, yeah."

He smiled. "Might give you some time to think about joining us. There aren't as many trees to hide behind around here, though." He cocked his head as he considered it some more. "Plenty back at the base."

She threw him a sarcastic look. "I wasn't hiding, I was waiting. Haven't you ever heard of an ambush?"

"I prefer the less subtle approach."

"Yeah, I was kind of getting that back in the bar."

"Oof. And here I thought I was doing alright."

She smiled, one of the first genuine smiles he'd seen on her and he felt his own smile widen at the sight of it. It was a good look on her.

"I should be out of here soon," he said, attempting to swing his legs over the side of the bed, dragging the IV stand along with him in the process. He winced, a clear suggestion otherwise, and the medical droid made an attempt to stop him, sounding a string of disapproving beeps as it caught the stand just in time. He waved it off and, appearing almost fed up with his non-compliance, it shuffled away, taking its tray of bloodied bandages with it. "I can show you around," Poe went on, touching a hand to his dressing to make sure it was secured, "Introduce you to a few people. Let you get a feel for the place."

"I've already met a few of your friends."

"Really?" he said, thoughtfully, catching her unenthusiastic tone.

"Yeah. I don't think I made the best first impression."

"First impressions aren't really your thing," he chuckled, "Your second impressions are much better, though."

"Good to know." She smiled to herself, eyes darting down to his torso. Color crept into her cheeks as she realized he had noticed the glance. "Anyway," she went on, ignoring his playful smirk, "I'm going to go and see if I can do anything about this ship, otherwise you guys are going to have a lot of rusty, old parts at your disposal."

"Sure. BB-8'll help, won't you, buddy?" The little droid responded with a string of enthusiastic beeps that made them both smile. "I'll come find you once I'm done here."

"You mean once they discharge you?"

Poe made a non-committal sound and she chuckled. He watched her as she turned and headed out, his gaze lingering as BB-8 sounded more beeps. The droid swung its dome from Maia's disappearing figure back to its best friend.

"Yeah. I think so too, buddy," Poe agreed, smiling to himself.

* * *

Maia had next to no knowledge when it came to the mechanics of a ship, so as the little astromech got to work, along with a couple of other service droids it had roped into its cause, she plonked herself down in the pilot's seat feeling quite useless.

A huge weight had been lifted from her after her long-awaited reunion with Leia. The way she had left things with everyone had plagued her since she had gone into hiding, and it was only now that she realized how much she had been overthinking the potential failure of any efforts to reconnect with anyone. She felt a lightness about her now. She had spent so long grieving the loss of everybody she had once been close to, with only a handful of people left for her to turn to, that this sudden influx of positive forces was uplifting. She found herself smiling as she thought of Poe, and was quick to check herself. There was more than one way to get involved with the Resistance, and neither of them felt wise, certainly not at this point in time. She had so many unresolved issues, she would be doing any person she got involved with a disservice.

A questioning beep brought her out of her thoughts.

"Hm? What's up?"

BB-8 seemed to sense her troubled thoughts, cocking its dome as she stared down at it. She smiled in an attempt to ease its concern, but even she could feel it was unconvincing. The droid paused for a moment as if considering whether or not to tell her the bad news. It relayed the information with a reluctant series of beeps.

"No hope, huh? Yeah, I know that feeling," she sighed, "I'll have to let the others know. Anything salvageable?" She glanced over at the other two droids and noticed they were already carrying parts out into the dock. "Nice of them to ask," she muttered to herself. The ship had been a gift of sorts, though she was ninety-percent sure that it had been stolen. She had known it was junk from the moment she laid eyes on it, but she was grateful for the thought behind it. She knew the person who had given it to her had meant for her to do more with it than simple jobs. It was an offer of freedom; a choice to continue running, or to eventually come back. The gesture had meant more to her than the ship itself, and besides, she was sure there were more stolen ships where that had come from. In fact, she knew there were.

A beep sounded from her transceiver, one of the few things still working – an incoming call. Frowning, she hit the receiver. A familiar voice came over the comm, and she grinned.

" _Hey, kid! Where the hell are you?"_

"Nice to hear from you, too," she replied, "You'd never believe the day I've had."

" _Yeah, well, if we're comparing, I think we might have you beat. We've had a job come up. A big one. You'll want in on this, trust me. How fast can you make it to Twon Ketee?"_

"Twon Ketee?"

" _I'll explain once you get here."_

"Yeah, about that. I'm going to need a lift."

" _What happened to the ship I gave you?"_

"It crapped out on me. Though I don't know what I was expecting."

" _Hey, that ship was in perfect working condition when I found it."_

'Found it'. Right.

A familiar, guttural wail sounded in the background of the call and Maia chuckled.

" _Hey,"_ she heard the caller say, _"Don't you start. Why do you always take her side?"_

"Because he knows where to pick his battles, isn't that right, Chewie?"

Another moan sounded, along with a disapproving huff from the caller.

" _Okay,"_ he went on, addressing her once more, _"So where are you?"_

"Well, I'm currently sitting in the hangar of the _Home One._ "

" _You're what?_ " he exclaimed.

"Like I said, it's been a strange day."

" _Alright."_ There was a long pause as he considered his options. _"I'll send someone to get you."_ An even longer pause followed before he finally asked, _"Did you see her?"_

"Yeah. She looks good."

" _She always does,"_ he replied, making her smile.

"I don't suppose you'll be making that trip yourself?" Maia asked.

" _I said I'd send someone to get you. I've got stuff to organize on my end."_

She almost rolled her eyes, though when it came to avoiding confrontation and uncomfortable situations she could hardly talk. A muffled conversation proceeded to take place on the other end of the comm.

" _Change of plans, kid. One of our contacts hasn't checked in yet. Gonna have to postpone that pick-up until they show."_

"Wait, we're working with another team? What the heck are you getting us into?"

" _Like I said, I'll explain when you get here. In the meantime, try not to make any rash decisions, alright?"_

"What? Like joining a rebellion? Now who would go and do a stupid thing like that?"

" _Hey, watch it, kid."_

She laughed, and though she couldn't see him, she could feel his smile on the other end of the call.

" _We'll be in touch. Oh, and Mai? Turn your damn comlink on."_

And with that the transmission cut out, throwing her back into a desolate silence. Strange how within the same day she could go from desperately seeking solitude, to feeling utterly alone. It was for this reason that she avoided people as much as possible. In their absence she managed to convince herself that that was the way she liked it.

Digging out her hastily-packed rucksack, Maia rummaged around for her comlink, another gift from the renowned smuggler, and flicked it on, securing the bracelet around her wrist as she sat back down in the pilot's seat. She kicked her feet up onto the dashboard, hands resting over her stomach as she tried to imagine what awaited her on Twon Ketee. Nothing good, she knew. With the quiet buzzing of the service droids' drills working away on the useable parts of her ship, as well as the comforting energy radiating from the many friendly lifeforms around her, Maia felt herself relaxing for the first time in a long time. It wasn't long before her interrupted sleep caught up on her, and her eyelids began to droop.

* * *

She had been dreaming of safety; of all the moments she had felt the most secure, as well as some moments that had never come to pass. Old ghosts had resurfaced, though in her unconscious mind they were still the people she had known before all this darkness had taken hold. In these dreams, everything had worked out. Everyone was safe, but most of all everyone was happy. She began to feel herself drifting back into reality, now aware of the smile stretching her lips. Voices lured her further into the waking realm, and then all at once she felt herself ripped out of the happy thoughts. Disoriented, she swiveled around in her chair and focused on the source of the voices.

"You gotta be kidding me," she mumbled. Running a hand over her face to loosen it of some of the sleep, she got to her feet and stretched, rewarded with a series of satisfying cracks down her neck and spine. Checking her comm for any missed calls, she was surprised to find that she had been asleep for a couple of hours. She headed down her ship's ramp and into the hangar, where she spotted the source of the raucous almost immediately. They certainly knew how to ruin a perfectly good attempt to sleep.

Poe was leaning back against a black and orange X-Wing that could only be his, with BB-8 by his feet as he talked with his squadron. He was better dressed for the social occasion this time though, wearing a black t-shirt over his white bandage, the only thing missing his tan leather jacket. The blonde woman, who, from her confident bearing, Maia could only assume was the Lieutenant Kun Leia had mentioned, stood beside him as she addressed him, one hand on her hip and the other gesturing at the rest of her team. Laughter erupted from them, Poe's dissolving into an inviting smile as he spotted Maia standing awkwardly by her own ship. Catching their commander's gaze, the others looked over, before glancing back at one another. The bearded man said something that seemed to incite more laughter, and though Poe's mouth was turned up in the corner, he shook his head.

"Come on, be nice," Maia heard him say, before he gestured for her to join them. She gazed over at them for a moment, then back to the droids working inside her ship, as if deciding her next cause of action. Unable to find a valid excuse to remain where she was, she moved reluctantly towards them.

"Hey, ace," the large, bearded pilot greeted her, "I was just commending you on your piloting skills."

"Yeah? What do you think? I got what it takes to be a Resistance pilot?"

"Might make for a good distraction for the enemy, at least," the Duros commented, receiving a few chuckles in response.

Maia smiled as she glanced around the rest of the hangar, but Poe could see how uncomfortable she was. He wondered if it was the teasing comments, or the social aspect that she was struggling with. Considering the way things had gone down on Takodana, he was fairly confident it was the latter.

"She managed to disarm a pirate and take on a pair of bounty hunters," he said, with an encouraging smile, "Without a weapon, I might add. I'd say she's more than qualified to join."

"She saved your ass," Lieutenant Kun agreed.

"I'll admit I wasn't in my finest form."

"A rare occurrence."

Poe grinned and looked over at Maia once more, noticing the way her smile had become more genuine.

"Alright, well, I know you guys have already had the opportunity to get to know one another a little," he began, "But I promised Maia I'd introduce her around. We could use someone like her on our side, so let's try to be a little more welcoming, okay?" The others smirked but nodded, agreeing to keep their comments to themselves for now. "Alright. Maia, let me introduce the members of Black Squadron. This here's my lieutenant, Karè Kun." The woman with the short, blonde hair gave a half-assed wave as she crossed her arms. "L'ulo L'ampar," Poe went on, gesturing to the Duros, who seemed even less interested in acknowledging the introduction than the lieutenant had been. "Oddy Muva," he nodded to the Abednedo, who at least managed a respectful nod to her in return. "Jess Pava." The dark-haired woman, who had already made the effort to introduce herself to Maia back on Takodana, gave a friendly smile, which Maia returned before looking back to the bearded man. "And this big lug of a guy is Temmin Wexley."

"Right. Black Two," Maia said, her tone playfully unimpressed.

Wexley chuckled. "Who knows, maybe you work on those piloting skills enough, you might wind up flying with a squadron of your own."

"Oh, no," Maia replied, grimacing reflexively at the thought, "I hate flying."

The pilots stared at her as if she had just admitted to being Supreme Leader Snoke himself. Even BB-8 appeared taken aback.

"I thought you said you liked this one," Lieutenant Kun said to Poe, who winced before elbowing her lightly in the ribs. Kun smirked.

"What do you mean you hate flying?" Poe asked, as if to clarify. "How can you hate flying?"

Maia shrugged. "It's just never been my thing, I guess."

Poe raised his eyebrows as if he wasn't sure how to process this confession. Kun turned away to answer a call on her comlink while the others began talking among themselves once more. Maia shot Poe and apologetic look at she ambled up beside him.

"Bet you're regretting offering me that drink now," she joked.

He rubbed at his forehead and shook his head. "Nah. That I don't regret." She smiled.

"Okay," Lieutenant Kun said, turning back to address her team, "The general wants us in the briefing room in ten." She turned to Poe. "She said if she sees you out of the medbay, she'll put you back there herself."

"Guess she better not see me, then," Poe replied, earning a grin in return. "Fill me in when you get back."

As his team began to move off, he glanced at Maia. She was staring out the hangar's large, back window with a troubled expression. Feeling his gaze, she turned back, the uneasy look dropping from her face.

"You're not really planning on going out there with them, right?" Her eyes went to his shoulder. He rotated the joint as if to show how much it didn't hurt, barely covering a wince in the process.

"It's fine. I've had worse."

"I'm starting to see where you get your reputation."

"For piloting?"

"For reckless behavior," she replied, earning a chuckle.

He regarded her for a moment before asking, "You hungry? Cause I'm hungry. How 'bout I show you around, we stop by the cafeteria, grab a bite to eat?" His expression was hopeful, though she could tell he was trying, for her sake, to appear casual about it. No big deal. Nothing to ruin your anti-social façade over.

"You sure?" she asked, "Aren't you worried you'd be revealing too much to a First Order sympathizer." For a moment he failed to catch the quip, then he remembered his own poor attempt of a joke back in the forest. He smirked.

"I trust you."

"Well, see, there's your problem," she replied, as they started off towards the exit.


	5. Chapter 5: The Scoundrel

**THE SCOUNDREL**

Han was feeling confident. It wasn't an unusual feeling for the galaxy's most notorious smuggler, but for this job he had a particularly good feeling. He had already managed to weasel fifty thousand credits out of both the Guavian Death Gang and Kanjiklub, promising both the other's share in the spoils – neither of which he intended on paying – and had secured the best team of mercenaries that someone else's money could buy.

Yeah, this job would be a cinch.

Chewie disagreed – though he had a tendency to do that – but Han always found a way to come out on top. Well, except for that one time. But he supposed things had turned out alright in the end.

" _Half now, half later, like we agreed,"_ the voice told him over the comm.

"Yeah, yeah. You'll get your money. After the job is done."

" _That's not what we agreed on, Solo."_

"Well, how the hell do you expect me to pay you, when I don't even get paid until after the job?"

" _No credits, no guns."_

"Listen, pal, you think you're the only guns-for-hire in the galaxy? We've got others willing to do the work. You don't want in? Take a hike!"

" _We get what you promised, Solo, or-"_

Han cut the transmission, muttering to himself as they walked down the long corridor of his ship. Though he had spent the last few years travelling on and working from the _Baleen-_ class heavy freighter, he had never really grown used the rusty walls and loud creaks of the _Eravana_. It wasn't home. It wasn't the _Falcon._ He mourned the loss of that ship like he would an old friend, like he would a member of the family…

He paused in the corridor, momentarily caught up in a painful memory, and then pushed on, determined to get this job rolling again. So the mercenaries had bailed on him. No big surprise, considering how flaky their kind could be. The moment they lose the whiff of credits, they turn on you. He gave a huff. Good riddance. He had Maia on board with it, and that was probably the most important thing. Of all the ideas he had ever had in his long career, bringing her in as a partner had been one of the better ones, and not just for her abilities. Okay, so it was mostly for her abilities, but once in a while she could prove to be good company, too. _Occasionally._ Plus, she got along with Chewie, so there was that. He found himself smiling at the thought of working alongside her again, then covered up the expression with his usual, weary scowl, glancing at his furry sidekick to see if he had noticed.

"We've gotta get another team on board," he told the Wookiee, "Who can we ask?" In other words, who haven't we already scammed? Or, at least, who haven't we scammed recently? The most important thing when it came to his line of work was remembering which lies he had told to who, and though he would never admit it, the older he got, the harder that seemed to become.

Chewie gave an unsure whine.

"Well, you're no help. I guess we could always ask Maz. She owes us a couple of favors."

Chewie moaned his dissent.

"Alright, so we owe her some favors. Who keeps track of these kinds of things, anyway? Friends should look out for one another."

He hesitated before stepping into the communications room. Hunched over the holo-receiver, he punched in some numbers, his finger hovering indecisively over the transmitter before he finally hit the button.

" _Han Solo!"_

The familiar, ancient face of his long-time associate filled the screen, tiny eyes squinting as she looked out at the smuggler.

" _Ah, and Chewie. It's been too long since you visitied, Chewie. I've been waiting."_

The enormous Wookiee turned his head, managing a couple of shy whimpers in response. Maz chuckled.

" _You must be desperate to be calling me, Solo. Let me guess. You need something?"_

"Now that's a little presumptuous," Han tried, knowing she had never, and would never, fail to see right through him. In that regard, she reminded him of his princess. No, General, now, he reminded himself.

" _Come on. What is it? I'm a busy woman."_

"We've got this job."

" _Mm. What kind of job?"_ Her eyes narrowed even further, searching his.

"The big kind. The kind that doesn't come up very often. The kind people'll want in on. The crew I hired just pulled out on me, so I need a new one, ASAP. Preferably one with a little hunting experience. You know anyone?"

Of course she did.

The projection of Maz turned its head for a moment. When she turned back, she was smiling. It was the small, knowing kind of smile that always made Han feel uneasy.

" _You know? I may just have the right ones here for you."_

Han exchanged a look with Chewie, and the Wookiee appeared just as uncertain, though that could have been partially due to the pirate queen's flirting.

"Who are we talking about, here?" Han asked.

" _Name's Varond Jelik. He leads a group of mercenaries. Been through here often enough for me to know he keeps his word. He won't come cheap, though."_

"That's not an issue," Han said, and this time is was barely a lie. He was certain that by the time this job was over, there wouldn't be many people left to pay.

" _I'll let them know, set up a meet."_

"We don't really have time for a sit down, Maz. Just tell them it's a hunting trip. Half now, half after the jobs done."

" _Hunting trip, huh? You better not have roped the girl into this."_

"She's old enough to make her own decisions. And while we're on the subject, what the hell is she doing on a Resistance fleet ship? You happen to have anything to do with that?"

" _She goes where the Force-"_

"Don't give me any of that Force destiny crap. She's safe down there with you. You're supposed to be looking out for her."

" _I have been looking out for that girl since she was still small enough to look up to me."_

"She still looks up to you, Maz."

" _I meant literally. We knew she could not stay here forever. The time has come for her to face everything she has been running from. We cannot choose the direction she goes. Only she can do that."_

"Yeah, yeah." He waved his hand as if to brush off the subject, appearing blasé despite the heavy weight he suddenly felt resting on his shoulders. He had always found Force users a little self-righteous with all this talk of fate and destiny and being part of something greater. He had seen both sides of the power, and from everything he had borne witness to, he was certain that the galaxy would be better off without it. There was nothing in all the worlds that couldn't be solved with a little smooth talking and a well-concealed blaster. He would know. "The minute I get these jokers on board, I'm getting her the hell off that ship."

" _I'd watch that kind of talk around these ones, Solo, unless you want to end up the one being hunted. Besides, it'll do Maia some good to get out there. Meet some new people, make some new friends."_

"Friends? What does she need friends for? She's got Chewie."

The Wookiee gave a couple of low growls that clearly had him siding with Maz in this case.

" _These are good people, Han. Nothing to worry about."_ She gave a sly smile, a twinkle in her eye. _"Besides, I have a good feeling about the boy."_

"The boy? What boy?"

A loud crash of falling dishes sounded in the background of the call, followed by Maz shouting orders in a foreign tongue. She turned back to the screen, shaking her head.

" _I have to go. Send me through the details for this job of yours. I'll set you up with Jelik, but you owe me, Solo,"_ she said, thrusting a finger into the screen, _"And Chewie owes me a visit."_

The Wookiee turned to his long-time smuggling partner as the transmission cut out.

"Hey, don't look at me, pal. She gets us this team, you do whatever she wants you to." Chewie gave reluctant shrug of his massive, hairy shoulders, while Han patched through their co-ordinates to Maz. As they stepped back out into the corridor, lit by the old freighter's low, sickly lighting, Han found his surly expression was easier to come by this time. Boy? What boy? It was bad enough having to worry about the girl, there was a boy now, too?

He trudged down the walkway towards the freighter's huge cargo hold, triple checking the locking mechanisms on the hold doors. If the things they were hunting managed to get loose, some hotshot Resistance boy would be the least of his problems.

* * *

The cafeteria was busier than Poe had expected it to be so late in the night, though many of the engineers and pilots worked shifts around the clock. Every member of the Resistance was always on call, ready at the slightest moment's notice to jump into action. Attacks from the First Order were becoming harder to predict, with the enemy constantly enhancing their ability to take the Resistance fleet unawares. Poe was sure he hadn't gotten more than a few hours' sleep a day for months now, but such was the life of those pushing back the threat when no one else would. Maia looked around at the few occupied tables, eyes dancing over the mostly-smiling faces of the crew members enjoying their downtime. Poe watched her carefully, trying to figure out what had her looking so troubled. She hadn't seemed to have realized that he'd tricked her into a sort-of date, yet, so it couldn't have been that.

"Everything alright over there?"

"Hm?" She looked over at him. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm okay. Just, you know, taking it all in."

His tour had been rather brief since there wasn't a lot to show on board a fleet ship – nothing interesting, anyway – and he didn't think introducing her to too many people at once was such a great idea, either. Not if he didn't want to scare her off already. Besides, he had been kind of eager to sit down with her and finally talk, now that she seemed willing to at least tolerate his presence. He offered a reassuring look. "That's good. Hopefully you're starting to see we're not all that bad."

She smiled but still seemed distracted, swirling her cup of caf thoughtfully before glancing around once more.

"If I'm being honest," she said, sensing his concern, "I didn't really get out much on Takodana."

"Yeah, I kind of got that impression," Poe smirked, earning a look from her.

"All this at once is a little-"

"Overwhelming?" he tried.

She tilted her head side-to-side, suggesting that it was close enough to what she was thinking, but not quite what she meant.

"Well, you know you're safe, here, right?" Poe said.

"Yeah. I mean it's not like you've got the galaxy's biggest threat looming over you or anything."

"Is that what you're worried about?" He gave her a subtle look up and down as he spooned up some mash. Though she was quite tall, her thin build made her seem so much smaller, and coupled with her near-constant on-edge behavior, she gave off the impression of someone timid. But that couldn't be. Not with the way she'd stood up to the Krish back in the bar. She was an odd one to figure out, but he had every intention of doing so.

"There's something I wanted to ask you."

Maia glanced from over the rim of her cup, eyes widening as images flashed through her mind: the spoon in the cup stirring itself, the questionable disarming of the angry pirate, the floating pebbles in the forest… Did he remember what she'd done to the bounty hunter in the forest? Had he been conscious enough to witness that telling moment?

"How do you know the general?"

Maia relaxed. "What makes you think I know her?" she replied, wishing she had grabbed a plate of something so she would at least have something else to focus her attention on.

"Karè mentioned that she was asking a lot of questions about you, that she wanted to see you. It's not every person who gets a one-on-one with our general. You must be important." He looked up at her as he stuck another spoonful in his mouth. There was a playful undertone to his line of questioning, but she didn't fail to notice the genuine glint of curiosity in his eyes. He was still adding a few things up, but with vital elements of the equation missing, had so far been unable to reach a plausible conclusion. She wanted to reach out, to see for herself what was really going on behind those warm, brown eyes, but aside from it feeling like an invasion of privacy, she knew the sudden, unusual sensation would only raise further questions in him.

"I knew her, you know, a while back. When I was younger."

Poe shook his head as he reached for his drink.

"What?"

"I'm going to find out all this stuff eventually, you know that, right?" he said, before taking a sip.

She smiled, still not having quite realized how comfortable she was becoming around him. "How do you figure that?"

"I'm trained in interrogation," he smirked, his expression dropping to something a little more serious as he gestured to her own cup. "You're not going to have something to eat with that?"

"You sound like Maz."

"She sounds like she's just looking out for you. I bet there's a real good story behind how you two met."

"Family friend."

"Really?" He finally felt as if he might actually be getting somewhere this time. He wondered what was so bad about her past that she found the need to avoid talking about any of it. He was sure it couldn't be that bad. Everyone had their ghosts.

"Yeah. She knew my mother for a long time. Used to sneak me sweets behind the bar to stop me from getting into mischief."

Poe smiled at the thought of little Maia wandering around the pirate castle causing trouble, then realized maybe that wasn't the greatest place for a parent to leave their child unattended. Recalling the sort of people the place seemed to attract, he couldn't help but wonder what her mother had been doing there in the first place. Maybe that in itself was a hint at her reluctance to share her history.

"I can picture that a little too easily."

"Yeah?" she chuckled, "What about your parents?"

"My parents? My parents met flying for the Rebellion. You're looking at a real Victory Kid, here."

"Jogan fruit doesn't fall far from the tree, huh?"

"I guess not."

"So where are they now? Still fighting the good fight?" She felt a sudden sadness radiating off of him, and immediately regretted the question.

"They passed when I was a kid."

"I'm sorry," she replied softly, and he seemed grateful for the gesture.

"What about you?" After a questioning look from her, he went on, "Your parents. They neutral too?"

"Now or then?"

He eyed her for a moment at the odd response, then replied, "Either."

"Not exactly."

"How so?" He noticed her eyes wandering around the cafeteria once more as if she had already grown uncomfortable revealing these tiny threads of personal history. She looked back at him, only then realizing how antsy she must have been looking.

"My mom…she was killed when I was a teenager. Work-related incident." He felt the urge to ask what kind of work she was involved in, but was sure from their association with Maz that he already had a pretty good idea. "And I don't actually know about my father. I barely remember him. He wasn't around very much."

They sat in silence for a moment, Poe gazing at her as if he was determined to figure something out, and Maia keeping her eyes focused on anything other than the man across from her.

"Can I ask you something?" he said, pulling her attention back to him once more. "What you were saying back on Takodana…You don't really believe that we're just as bad as the First Order, right?"

She sighed, eyes dropping down to the table. "No, I don't."

"But you don't think that they're bad enough to warrant an effort to fight back?"

"Look, it's not that…"

"We're not in the castle now, so the whole 'no politics' thing doesn't apply anymore, right?"

Maia gave him an unappreciative look, but nodded all the same, reluctant though it was.

She sat back, fingertips lightly tapping against the side of her mug as she considered an explanation. "The way I see it, either way there'll probably come a time when I have to kill, and I don't want to put myself in the position where it could be a life or death situation, for me or for someone else, because I might hesitate."

She thought back to the confrontation in the forest. She hadn't hesitated in the slightest, and that was what really worried her.

"Sometimes it is necessary," Poe agreed, his meal suddenly forgotten, "And yeah, if you want to call it a means to an end, then it absolutely is. Those guys are terrorizing the entire galaxy and I will take down as many of them as I have to in order to stop any other systems being controlled, or forced into slavery or killed for failure to comply." He was lit up with a sudden passion, a side-effect of his commitment to everything the Resistance stood for. He would push their cause on anyone willing to listen. They could use all the support they could get, and with the kind of atrocities being committed by the First Order all across the galaxy, he found it wasn't hard to convince people which side to back. "I think you're capable," he told her, then, catching a sharp look in return, went on, "I didn't mean it that way. I'm not accusing you of being some heartless killer." She glanced down at her dark, swirling beverage. "I just think you're selling yourself short. I don't think you really want to sit on the sidelines and let all this suffering go on without doing anything about it."

"Of course I don't."

"So what is it?"

That was the real question, wasn't it? She knew the answer, but she wasn't about to admit it to some guy she had barely known for more than a few hours. Not when she could barely admit it to herself.

"Anyone ever tell you that you ask too many questions?" she replied instead.

"Only the ones who had something to hide." He held her gaze for a moment and this time there wasn't a trace of shyness about it. Her resolve had hardened once again, and he suddenly regretted pushing the subject. He had always had trouble knowing when to stop, but then he wouldn't be the Resistance's best pilot if he did. It was that fiery determination that had seen him through some of his most daring missions, just not this one it would seem. But he wasn't ready to throw in the towel just yet. He was certain he was onto something here. Plus, it was all the more reason to spend more time with her.

The beeping of her comlink drew Maia out of the silent stare-off, and, knowing what it meant, she was surprised at her reluctance to answer it. "I gotta take this," she told Poe, as she swung her legs over the bench seat. She was striding towards the main exit before he could even reply. He watched her stop briefly to greet BB-8 as the astromech came rolling into the room, then she was gone from his line of sight.

* * *

She returned a few minutes later. Poe sat leaning forward to speak to his long-time co-pilot, engaged in such a sweet little conversation with the droid that for a moment Maia didn't want to interrupt, hovering awkwardly a few meters away. BB-8 solved that problem for her, alerting Poe to her presence with a welcoming beep. She smiled and looked to the pilot, her expression hesitant. She needed a favor, and considering the way she had treated him back on Takodana, not to mention the way she had just left their conversation, she really didn't feel like she deserved one.

"What is it?" he asked, reading her expression right away. He got to his feet, appearing momentarily concerned.

"Any chance I could borrow a ship?"

His brows quirked up and he rubbed the back of his neck as he considered the request. "We might have a shuttle you could use. You're leaving already?"

"I've got a friend waiting for me." She could feel his disappointment at the mention of another person, but he hid it well. "Business associate," she assured him, and she could sense his relief. It was almost cute.

"Wait, what kind of business?"

"Don't ask questions you don't want to know the answers to, Dameron."

"Well, the ones I do want the answers to don't seem much help, either."

She gave a soft snort. "So that's a yes?"

"I dunno. What do I get if I hook you up?"

She grinned and thought about it for a second. "I'll give you one question."

He perked up at the idea of gaining more insight into the mysterious young woman. "Alright, I'll see what I can pull together."

* * *

Commander Dameron, as it turned out – though Maia was hardly surprised – was a very gifted liar when he needed to be, so it took no real effort to convince the docking bay manager to lend Maia her requested vessel. The man, though pleasant enough for someone with such a tired face, seemed slightly hesitant at first, shooting them both a suspicious look, but at the mention of the 'urgent orders' coming from General Organa herself, he even forwent the required paperwork.

"Where will you be taking it? Can I ask that?" he asked, turning to Poe, who was leaning back against a desk, arms folded, and looking quite pleased with himself. Realizing he was being addressed, Poe looked to Maia, throwing the question to her. He had been meaning to ask her the same thing anyway.

"It's classified," she said, regretfully.

Poe quirked an eyebrow, but said nothing. He was growing accustomed to these kinds of dubious responses from her.

"And when will you be returning it?"

That question interested Poe a lot more. He watched as she glanced between him and the other man, and realized she hadn't really intended to.

"Well, I'm not really sure how long this, uh, mission is going to take. Can I get back to you on that?"

The manager turned to Poe, who simply shrugged. Poe waited until the man was busy checking over some flight schedules before shooting Maia a questioning look. She replied with a sheepish shrug. She didn't know what to tell him. Knowing Han, the job would either go to hell real fast, or wind up being a lot more difficult than he had initially led her to believe.

"Okay. Well, everything appears to be in order. We won't be missing that one too much. Unless of course we need to evacuate on short notice," he said, with an odd little chuckle at the thought of having such bad luck, "But who knows, maybe the First Order will give us a few more days' peace. Stars know we need it." He looked between the two of them as if wondering why they were still standing around.

"Alright," Poe said, jumping into action, "We should get moving, then." He threw Maia a meaningful look and she nodded, following him out of the room, both looking as nonchalant as they could manage. Once they were completely out of earshot she finally risked a glance in his direction. He was already smiling at her.

"You're scarily good at that," she grinned, unable to help herself in wake of their successful scam. He almost reminded her of a certain smuggler she knew. They certainly shared the same swagger and charm.

"I'd like to be able to say I hadn't had the practice, but certain situations call for a certain amount of improvisation. What can I say?"

All throughout the entire process he had been devising the perfect question to ask her; something that might resolve more than one of the many others that had been raised in the short course of knowing her.

"Where are you heading, though?" he asked her, brow creased with what might have been concern. "And that doesn't count as my question, by the way."

She chuckled. "Outer Rim." She wouldn't say where, though. There was no point. Her destination only spelled trouble, and she was certain he had already cottoned on to her particular line of work. She could only hope he had left his New Republic mindset behind him, that he was more concerned with the First Order's next move than with whatever questionable activities she might be getting involved in.

"So, just to make sure I've got all this, you live in a pirate castle, and you're heading to the Outer Rim with a 'business associate' for a 'job'."

"You know, you're a great listener, Poe."

"You're not getting yourself into any trouble, now, are you?"

"Nothing I can't handle."

"Well, of that I'm sure."

He led her towards one of the free shuttles, pausing to check in with the service droid standing nearby. Once he was certain that their chosen vessel was fit, fueled and ready for travel, he stood by the open door, waiting while Maia made a quick trip to her old, broken down light-freighter. She grabbed her backpack and glanced at the pile of bloody clothes on the medbay floor before finally deciding she might need them, banking on the off chance that she might somehow find a way to clean them. It was unlikely that she would get another opportunity to find more, and she was not about to spend however long this job was going to take stuck in the same dirty, sweaty outfit, even if she was certain that the fragrant odor of whichever crew Han had managed to hire would be enough to cover the smell. After checking a few more compartments for any others useful items (aside from a few random, long-forgotten keepsakes, there were none), she made for the ramp, stopping for the briefest of moments to say a last goodbye to the useless hunk of metal. Regardless of its current state, the old ship had seen her through a few rough journeys, and it had always reminded her of Han; how he always managed to find ways to look out for her.

She was still lost in a fog of nostalgia when she made her return. "You know how to fly one of these?" he asked, thinking back on Wexley's words.

"I'm sure I'll figure it out. Why, you offering to come with? Bail on these guys and come fly for me? The work pays pretty well."

He smiled, holding her gaze, looking as though he might seriously be considering it. "It is tempting... But we still have a lot of work that needs doing here. Keep me in mind, though. Maybe after we bring down the First Order, we can work something out."

Maia smiled, one of her rare, genuine smiles, and stepped inside the shuttle. She looked around, familiarizing herself with the interior, getting a feel for it. Poe gripped the top of the doorframe, leaning into his arm as he watched her.

"You're bringing this back, right? You are following General Organa's orders, after all."

"You mean like her orders to stay in the medbay?"

"I won't tell if you won't."

She chuckled and slipped into the pilot's seat, running her hands over the controls. She could still feel faint traces of the last people to have used the craft; some panicked, and others triumphant. Poe watched her movements, recognizing the behavior; a pilot familiarizing themselves with a new ship. He prided himself on being able to fly anything, but every ship had its own feel, its own temperament. His father used to joke that a ship was like a woman in that regard, but if you looked after it, cared for it, and treated it well, it would do the same for you. He would usually look at Poe's mother at that point, and she would shake her head and roll her eyes, but she would always be smiling. Poe looked up again, breaking from the fond memories.

"So. Do I get my question now?"

Maia turned back to him, flicking on a few switches overhead to prime the ship's engines. It rumbled to life beneath her, but unlike her old ship's clunky, rattling start-up, there was a slight shudder and a promising rumble of ignition. Poe had thought hard about what to ask, but he knew there was only really one way that he would ever get all his answers, and no single question would ever be sufficient. So, as he smiled down at the mysterious recluse, he asked:

"When can I see you again?"

* * *

"Rathtars? Really?"

Han and Chewie could only stare. Maia looked at a loss for words.

"Chewie, you're supposed to be the responsible one."

The Wookiee gave an apologetic whine.

"Hey!" Han stepped in, with the defensive jab of his finger as he walked around her to the freighter's cockpit, "This is good work. King Prana hired us himself. You know what kind of money a guy like that has?"

She blinked at him. "It's not going to mean much when we're all being ripped apart by the giant, slimy tentacles of those rolling Saarlac pits. And how exactly are you expecting to get them on board?"

Han was quiet for a moment. And that was never a good sign. "Well, that's where you come in."

She rolled her eyes and turned to start walking. "Of course it is."

Han shot a look at Chewie, but the Wookiee was no help.

"Look, if you don't want in, feel free to get back in that shiny, new ship o'yours and head on back to your Resistance buddies."

She crossed her arms and fought to keep from rolling her eyes. "I can't do that now, can I?"

"And why's that?" he jeered.

"Because all I'm going to be able to think about is how I left you two laserbrains alone to wrangle three of the galaxies most murderous creatures."

"We've got one of the best hunting teams money can buy," Han assured her. "Recommended by Maz, I might add."

"Yeah, and that brings me to my next question."

"Look, kid, everything is taken care of. You don't have to worry about who's financing what. All you gotta do is help me bag a couple of monsters. Let me worry about the rest."

"As if there's more to worry about? I would have thought the monster part would be the main thing."

"Come on, Mai. We're counting on you here, kid. Are you in or not?"

She paused, biting her lip as she considered the offer. Of all the crazy jobs she had ever seen Han take, this was probably the most suicidal. She remembered overhearing a story in Maz's castle when she was a child. She had been huddled under the table of a smelly, rowdy band of pirates, listening in on their tales of adventure, pillaging and murder, but one tale in particular had stuck with her. Something they referred to as 'The Trillia Massacre'. She had prayed to never ever have to face one of those creatures herself. Now, not only was she being told that she would have to face, not one, but three of those things, she would also have to find a way to capture them, too, and then willingly travel with them on board to another system. It was two of her worst childhood nightmares rolled into in one big, terrible idea. And she already knew that she would agree. Han had been looking out for her since her mother had first introduced them, years ago, in the very place Maia now called home. Suicidal mission or not, she wasn't about to let them go into this alone.

* * *

 **A/N:** Just wanted to mention a small edit to the previous chapter. I realized Maia was still dressed in the same clothes she had on when bringing Poe back to the castle, and that she would therefore have been wandering around covered in bloodstains. Not a good look. Just a small detail I hadn't taken into account.

As always, thank-you for reading, and please don't forget to review!


End file.
